Curling brooms are used in the sport of curling to slightly alter the trajectory of a curling stone to the benefit of the team/player that is sweeping. Modern curling brooms are generally composed of two main parts: a handle and a head. Most curling broom heads have a fabric layer that contacts the ice surface, a flexible layer above the fabric, a rigid section(s) above the flexible layer and a stem that attaches to the rigid section(s) to the broom handle. The handle is generally tubular in shape and is gripped by the curler to move the broom in a side to side motion on the ice, in front of the path of the curling stone.
The sweeping action can have different levels of effectiveness depending on the downward force that is applied to the broom head, the velocity of the broom head, and the type and condition of fabric. Each player has a different sweeping force and velocity that stays fairly constant from game to game, so those two factors stay generally constant. The broom head, however, will diminish in effectiveness the more it is used. This is due to several factors including fraying, coating wear and dirt buildup. In order to maintain maximum sweeping effectiveness, it is ideal to replace the fabric section of the broom head as often as possible.
The majority of broom heads are assembled in such a way that when the fabric section is worn, the flexible layer and rigid section must also be discarded and replaced, because the fabric section is permanently secured to the rigid section by staples, with the flexible layer sandwiched in between. This method of assembly causes a very high amount of unnecessary waste, because the rigid section and flexible layer could be reused if the fabric wasn't stapled to the rigid section. There are other types of broom heads where only the fabric layer can be replaced when worn, however those broom heads have fabric layers with secondary production processes associated with them, such as stitching two or more fabric sections together or adding parts to the fabric to allow fastening to the rest of the broom head. These processes add cost to the broom head, which is passed on to the curler every time the broom head fabric needs replacement. A broom head that has a removable fabric section with a very minimal secondary production process, will have a lower replacement cost, and cause less unnecessary waste.
The sweeping technique varies greatly from one curler to another, and each player differs in size, strength and sweeping ability. Generally, the more downward force a curler can apply to the broom, the more effective they will be at sweeping. Although most curling brooms handles have approximately the same shape, some handles are manufactured with key design features to enable the curler to apply more downward force. Common design features include a material on the outside surface of the broom handle that is somewhat sticky, making it easier for the curler to grip the broom and apply more force. Although the intent of the grip material is to provide better sweeping effectiveness, depending on the sweeping technique of the curler, the sticky surface may impede their efforts by creating extra friction on their clothing or skin. Because the grip material is permanently affixed to the broom handle, those people that don't want the feature, must choose a different broom handle that doesn't have it, sometimes also giving up other benefits such as lighter broom handle weight. As such, a need exists for removable broom handle attachments that, when attached to the broom handle, allow the curler to exert more downward force on the broom head.